When learning the laws of Berachot, one must learn not only which Berachot to recite under different circumstances, but also how to proceed in situations where the wrong Beracha was recited. Mistakes in reciting Berachot are quite common, and it is therefore important to review the proper procedures for when one recites the incorrect Beracha.
One situation which does not occur frequently, but can still happen if one does not pay attention, is reciting a Beracha Aharona before eating. For example, if before eating a piece of cake a person mistakenly recites "Al Ha’mihya" – the Beracha recited after eating cake – instead of "Boreh Mineh Mezonot," must he now recite "Mezonot," the proper Beracha? Or, has he fulfilled his obligation by reciting "Al Ha’mihya"?
Rabbi Menahem Azarya de Fano (Italy, 1548-1620) addressed the related question regarding one who mistakenly recited the Beracha Aharona over fruits of the seven special species – "Al Ha’etz Ve’al Peri Ha’etz" – instead of "Boreh Peri Ha’etz." He ruled that one fulfills his obligation in such a case, even though he did not recite the correct Beracha. Thus, for example, if a person recited "Al Ha’etz Ve’al Peri Ha’etz" before eating grapes, he has fulfilled his obligation and should eat the grapes without reciting "Boreh Peri Ha’etz." This is also the ruling of the Hid"a (Rav Haim Yosef David Azulai, 1724-1806), in his Shiyureh Beracha, and in Birkeh Yosef (207:1).
This would apply to the situation of "Mezonot," as well. If a person mistakenly recited "Al Ha’mihya" before eating a "Mezonot" food, he has fulfilled his obligation, and does not then recite "Mezonot."
A more common situation is where a person mistakenly recited "Boreh Nefashot" after eating a food that requires "Al Ha’mihya." Does the Beracha of "Boreh Nefashot" fulfill the obligation of "Al Ha’mihya," or must the person recite "Al Ha’mihya" after mistakenly reciting "Boreh Nefashot"?
This issue is subject to debate among the Halachic authorities. Tosafot (commentaries by Medieval French and German scholars), without addressing this issue directly, appear to hold that one does not fulfill his obligation of "Al Ha’mihya" if he mistakenly recited "Boreh Nefashot." The context of Tosafot’s comments is the issue of which Beracha Aharona one recites after eating boiled wheat. Grain products, of course, generally require "Al Ha’mihya," but wheat that has been boiled may have a different status, requiring "Boreh Nefashot." In light of this question, Tosafot famously comment that one should avoid eating boiled except in the context of a meal with bread, when Birkat Ha’mazon covers all foods. Significantly, Tosafot do not propose the solution of reciting "Boreh Nefashot" to cover all possibilities. Apparently, Tosafot held that the Beracha of "Boreh Nefashot" does not satisfy the obligation of "Al Ha’mihya." This is also the view of many other authorities, including the Rashba, the Rama, the Lebush, the Magen Abraham, the Elya Rabba, the Ma’amar Mordechi and the Zibheh Sedek. This also appears to be the view of the Shulhan Aruch, who codifies Tosafot’s ruling that boiled wheat should be eaten only in the context of a meal with bread.
There are, however, other authorities who disputed this ruling, and maintained that if one mistakenly recited "Boreh Nefashot" instead of "Al Ha’mihya," he has fulfilled his obligation.
Hacham Ovadia Yosef, in his work Yabia Omer (vol. 1, Orah Haim 12), applies to this case the famous rule of "Safek Berachot Le’hakel," which means that one should not recite a Beracha in situations of uncertainty. Since there are authorities who maintain that one fulfills his obligation of "Al Ha’mihya" by reciting "Boreh Nefashot," a person in this situation should not recite a new Beracha, and should instead rely on the "Boreh Nefashot" which he recited. Although the Shulhan Aruch, as mentioned, maintains that one does not fulfill his obligation by reciting "Boreh Nefashot," nevertheless, since some authorities disagree, one should not recite a new Beracha, in order to avoid the risk of reciting a Beracha in vain.
Rabbi Moshe Halevi (Israel, 1961-2001), in his work Birkat Hashem, disagrees with this ruling. He notes that the vast majority of authorities rule that "Boreh Nefashot" does not satisfy the requirement of "Al Ha’mihya," and, moreover, there are authorities who maintain that if one ate "Mezonot" food to the point of satiation, he is required to recite "Al Ha’mihya" on the level of Torah obligation. Rabbi Moshe Halevi thus claims that one should not risk neglecting a Torah obligation by relying on the recitation of "Boreh Nefashot." Instead, he should recite "Baruch Shem Kabod Malchuto Le’olam Va’ed" (the passage recited after the recitation of an improper Beracha) and then recite "Al Ha’mihya."
This ruling, however, does not represent the accepted, normative Halacha, and therefore one should instead follow Hacham Ovadia’s position, and not recite a new Beracha in such a case.
Needless to say, this entire discussion applies "Be’di’abad," after the fact, if a mistake was made. Optimally, of course, care should be taken to recite the correct Beracha and thereby avoid Halachic uncertainties.
Summary: If one mistakenly recited "Al Ha’mihya" instead of "Mezonot" before eating a "Mezonot" food, he has fulfilled his obligation and should eat without reciting a new Beracha. Likewise, if one mistakenly recited "Boreh Nefashot" after eating a "Mezonot" food, instead of "Al Ha’mihya," he has fulfilled his obligation and should eat without reciting a new Beracha.
